Ford Ranger Raptor confirmed for Europe

‘True enthusiast off-roader’ to hit showrooms in mid-2019, and will feature in Forza Horizon 4.

Ford Europe has confirmed the Ranger Raptor will go on sale in the region, arriving in showrooms mid-way through next year.

Debuting at the Gamescom video game trade fair in Cologne, Germany – also where Ford Europe is headquartered – the Ranger Raptor is very much the same as the model sold in Australia, featuring various off-road mechanical upgrades and a 2.0-litre ‘EcoBlue’ bi-turbo diesel engine mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The Ranger Raptor will also make its video game debut in Forza Horizon 4, and became the first manufacturer to launch a new model at the Gamescom event.

Damien Ross, chief program engineer for Ranger Raptor, said: “The standout experience of the Ranger Raptor, hands down, is how far you can push it off-road and still ride like a millionaire on-road”.

“Everything about the Ranger Raptor builds on the already outstanding sophisticated feel and functional capability of the Ranger, and then goes further. From a driving dynamic fun standpoint, it is really an exceptionally special vehicle.”

LIke the version sold locally, headlining features include a reinforced chassis frame, Fox shock absorbers with Position Sensitive Damping, 332mm front and rear disc brakes, model-specific 285/70 R17 BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres, and a new steel bash plate measuring 2.3mm thick.

There’s also six different driving modes for various conditions – Normal, Sport, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Rock, Mud/Sand, and Baja – along with LED fog-lights, xenon HID headlights, leather-accented seat trim with blue stitching, Raptor badging throughout, and the company’s Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

As mentioned already, power comes from a 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, putting out 157kW of power (213PS) and 500Nm of torque. That’s sent to the ground via a selectable 4×4 system by a 10-speed auto as standard.

The Ford Ranger is already the top-selling pick-up in Europe, and there’s no doubt the new Raptor will add some volume for the Blue Oval in the region.